N-monochloroglycine solutions having a pH of 8-12 and other N-haloamine solutions have been recognized to have the capability of dissolving dental plaque and dental caries while not adversely affecting healthy dental structures. Some basic compositions having the above-mentioned capabilities are disclosed in our copending application Ser. No. 307,835 filed Nov. 20, 1972, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 117,822, filed Feb. 22, 1971, now abandoned, and application Ser. No. 197,966, filed Nov. 11, 1971, now abandoned, although the present invention is not restricted to use with the liquids so described, but is utilizable with any chemically active decay attacking fluid. Suitable solutions include, but are not limited to, solutions of N-chloroglycine, N-bromoglycine, N-iodoglycine, N-chlorosarcosine, N-bromosarcosine, N-iodosarcosine, N-chloro alpha amino isobutyric acid, N-chlorotaurine, N-bromotaurine, N-iodo taurine, N-chloro ethanolamine, N-ethanolamine, N-ido-N-acetyl glycine, N-bromo, N-acetyl glycine, N-chloroalanine, N-chloro beta alanine, N-bromo beta alanine, N-chloroserine, N-bromoserine, N-iodoserine, N-chloro-N-phenylalanine, N-chloroisoleucine, N-chloronorvaline, N-chloroleucine, N-bromoleucine, N-iodoleucine, N-chloroproline, N-bromo-proline, N-iodoproline, N-chloro hydroxyproline, N-chloro omega aminoundecanoic acid, N-chloroaspartic acid, N-bromoaspartic acid, N-chloroglutamic acid, N-iodoglutamic acid, N-chlorovaline, N-chlorotyrosine, N-bromotyrosine, N-iodotyrosine, N-chlorothreonine, N-chlorocysteine, N-chlorocystine, N-chloromethionine, N-bromomethionine, N-chlorotryptophane, N-chlorohistidine, N-chloroargenine, N-chloroglutamine, N-bromoglutamine, N-chlorolysine, N-chloro gamma aminobutyric acid, N-chloro alpha, epsilon diaminopimelic acid, N-chloro ornithine, N-chloro hydroxylysine, N-chloroanthranilic acid, N-chloro p-ami-nobenzoic acid, N-chlorosulfanic acid, N-chloro phenyl-sulfamic acid, N-chloro aminopropanesulfonic acid, N-aminomethanesulfonic acid, N-chloropropanolamine, N-chlorodiethanolamine, N-chloro ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (in this compound the nitrogen atom apparently functions as a quaternary nitrogen).
One method of applying such solutions has been by spraying the liquid directly on the surface of the caries. Thus the instrument shown in Vit. U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,825, is very similar in size and shape to a conventional hypodermic needle, and since the tip is pointed and sharp, pressure must be light to prevent pain to the patient and to prevent possible digging into the caries with subsequent blockage of the egress of the solution. The entire disclosure of the Vit patent is hereby incorporated by reference. Removal of the caries has in the past been facilitated by utilization of a spoon excavator or a rotary burr after application of the liquid.
The device of the present invention effects application of chemically active decay attacking fluid, assists in obtaining proper access to the area to be treated, and facilitates removal of the caries both before, during, and after application of the solution while not interfering with liquid flow. A needle has its end flattened and shaped in the form of a spoon excavator, and the needle is hooked up to a source of supply for the solution. The spoon excavator tip can be used to lift areas of the carious material to provide better access to the caries by the liquid, some of the gross caries can be freed and lifted away by the tip, and flow of liquid can be stopped and the tip used as a conventional spoon excavator without the need to stop, place the handpiece and needle tip back in its holder, pick up the spoon excavator, and reverse the process to apply more solution. The device of the present invention thus takes full advantage of the properties of chemically active decay attacking fluids in eliminating caries from teeth for subsequent filling. The device of the present invention can be used to replace the hypodermic needle in the aforementioned Vit patent, and can be used for treating both humans and animals.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means for applying chemically active decay attacking fluids to dental caries.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for providing better access of chemically active decay attacking fluid to caries.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means for assisting in removal of caries treated with chemically active decay attacking fluids, e.g. liquids.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an instrument that is specially adapted to both administer chemically active decay attacking fluid and performance as a spoon excavator.
These and other objects of the invention will become clear upon an inspection of the ensuing detailed description of the invention and the appended claims.